Tanzania Ultra-Deepwater Exploration* Lino Teixeira1, Veronica Martinez1, and Salvador Chrispim1 Search and Discovery Article #10189 (2009) Posted April 20, 2009 *Adapted from extended abstract prepared for AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa, October 26-29, 2008 1Petrobras, International Exploration Department , Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil (
[email protected]) Abstract Petrobras’ ultra-deepwater technology is internationally recognized for its innovative approach. In 2001 Petrobras received OTC’s award for the development of the ultra-deepwater Roncador Field in Campos Basin, Brazil, and recently, it discovered Tupi oil Field in Santos Basin, the 2nd largest oil field discovered in the last 20 years worldwide. Petrobras has the proficiency of producing at water depths up to 2000m and now is going even farther, improving the knowledge and expertise that should lead to a capability to produce at 3000m water depths (Figure 1). Eastern Africa is becoming a challenging but encouraging area for petroleum and gas exploration. The Eastern Africa margin, inclusive of six countries (Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Madagascar, and Seychelles), was subjected to different tectonic regimes. Its structural framework evolution started with Eastern Gondwana’s break-up, during the Juro-Triassic, and it is still active at the present time. Extensional and compressional periods controlled by strike-slip movement of the David Fracture Zone, created many sedimentary basins and multiple petroleum systems. Tanzania is considered an exploratory frontier area with only 35 wells drilled, mainly onshore and shallow water (including the islands). The presence of oil slicks suggest the existence of active petroleum systems, which encourage ultra-deepwater exploration, even though of no well has been drilled in such an environment.